Construction of framework for furniture.



PATENTED JULY 25, 1905.

- J. A. STAPLES. CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMEWORK FOR FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1903.

JOHN A. STAPLES, OF NEWVBURGH, NEW YORK.

CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMEWORK FOR FURNITURE.

Specification of Iaetters Patent.

ratented July 25, 1905.

Application filed November 14,1903. Serial No. 181,117-

To all Ill/mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. STAPLES, re siding at Newburgh, in thecounty of Orange and State of New York, have invented cer tain new anduseful Improvements in Construction of Framework for Furniture, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to the construction of the framework of couches,chairs, and other articles.

One of the objects thereof is to provide a metal frame which as suchshall have the advantage of lightness and strength and yet may bereadily used for couches, chairs, and other upholstered articles whereit is desired that the upholstery or covering be secured to theframework.

Other objects and advantages will be in part obvious from the followingdescription and in part pointed out.

It has been heretofore proposed to use a metallic framework for variousarticles of furniture, as in the common metal bedframe. The presentinvention differentiates from such constructions by providing a metallic frame which may be conveniently and economically used withupholstered articles where the upholstery is intended to be secured inplace by fastening it to the frame.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combinations ofelements, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter described,and the novel features thereof pointed out in the claim.

ln the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated a single embodimentof the invention, of which many will be readily suggested, Figure 1 is asectional perspective showing a part of the upholstery and springwork ofa couch and a section of one side of the frame by which the springworkis supported and to which an edge of the material used for upholsteringis secured. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective, on an enlarged scale,showin the manner of assembling the elements oi the frame; and Fig. 3 isa similar view showing the elements as they appear when assembled andsecured together.

Similar reference-characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The invention proposes, broadly, the use of a main metallic frame memberof any desired shape and construction and an auxiliary wooden membercarried by the main member, to which auxiliary member upholstery orcovering material may be readily connected, as by tacks or otherwise.

While for purposes of definiteness I shall throughout the specificationand claims use the terms metal and wooc in defining the constituentmaterials of a frame constructed in accordance with this invention, 1.do not limit myself thereto, as it will be obvious that material whichmight not be technically classed as metal could be used for the mainframe, supplying the necessarystrength and lightness thereto, whilethefasteningsurface might be either of wood or any similar substance whichis distinguishable from metal by the ease with which it lends itself foruse as a tacking-surface or in connection with other securing devices.

The metallic part of the framework is shown in the present instance asof box shape in cross -section, having upper and lower walls or strips 1and side walls 2, the walls 1 having inwardly-projected flanges 3,adaptedv to overlap and provide pockets for the outwardly-projectingflanges 4 of the side members. Thus there is provided a hollow metalframe which will have sufficient rigidity and strength for the purposerequired without having too great weight. The specific construction ofthis frame, however, forms no part of the present invention.

As shown in the present instance, the frame supports a spring systemcertain of the elements of which are shown as embodying conical spiralsprings 5 5, supported by the corrugated wire 6, carried at its end bythe frame, and with auxiliary locking-pieces 7 7, associated with theconical springs and their supporting-wires. Upon these springs issupported the upholstering material, which is shown in the presentinstance as adapted for an ordinary couch, said upholstering materialcomprising an inner sheet 8, adapted to rest directly upon the tops ofthe springs 5 5, and an outer enveloping cover 9, with suitable packingtherebetween, as at 10. The character of the springwork and upholsteryshown forms no part of the present invention and is used for purposes ofillustration only as a single exampleof many uses to which a frameworkconstructed in accordance with this invention might be put.

In the present instance the auxiliary tacking-surface is shown ascomprising a long strip 11, having its edges beveled, as at 12 12, andheld between the flanges of the metal frame, which project inwardlybeyond the side walls. After the strip has been placed in position, asshown in Fig. 3, these flanges are bent downwardly, clamping the beveledstrip between them and providing in substance a groove along a face ofthe metallic member which. is wider at its bottom than at the top, theshape of the beveled strip corresponding to the shape of said groove. Toconnect the upholstery or binding material to the frame, the edges ofthe outer cover 9 are brought down at the sides to a point where theyare attached to the strip 1.1 by a line of tacks 13 or otherwise, asdesired. In this manner the strip 11 not only performs its functions ofaffording a secure and convenient means of attachment of the upholsteryto the frame, but firmly locks the inturned edges or flanges 3 againstthe parts 4, thus preventing these flanges from buckling inwardly orspringing away from the lastmcntimied parts. By this construction theseveral. parts upon the outer side of the frame members are securely andpositively locked in their assembled condition, thus materially addingto the stiffness and durability of the frame. The latter is true largelyby reason of the fact that as the weight upon the springs tends to drawinwardly the component frame members the outer portions thereof have aslight tendency to buckle, whereas the inner parts are merely stretched,and thus securely held in their assembled condition.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a framework adapted to be usedfor various articles which are to be finished by covering them in wholeor part with fabric or similar material, such that the fabric can bereadily and easily secured in place thereon and held to a properposition with relation to the frame, obviating the difficulty ofattaching such fabric to a frame constructed entirely of metal and alsopermitting the binding or upholstery to be readily removed and replaced.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

In combination a frame comprising a rigid member having twochannel-shaped parts with their flanges turned in opposite directions,said parts being connected by means of strips connecting thecorresponding flanges of the channel-shaped members in pairs and havingtheir edges inwardly turned around said flanges, a wooden strip providedwith beveled edges secured within one of said channel-shaped members andlocking said inwardly-turned edges against the corresponding flanges ofsaid channel-shaped member, said flanges and edges being bent so as toengage said beveled edges, springs mounted upon. said framework,upholstery mounted upon said springs and a covering upon said upholsteryhaving its edge fixed to said wooden strip.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN A. STAPLES.

Witnesses:

ALEX. W. DARRAGH, C. H. HANFoRD.

